


The before, the during, and the after

by fcllencngels



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Castle of Lions - Freeform, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Galaxy Garrison, M/M, Post-Canon, kissses and shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-02 12:17:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fcllencngels/pseuds/fcllencngels
Summary: Shiro and Keith spend christmas together every year.





	The before, the during, and the after

**Author's Note:**

  * For [desastrista](https://archiveofourown.org/users/desastrista/gifts).



> in an alternate world where no one dies, and s8 ends with selfies and nothing else  
> I spent way too long trying to find a good dad shirt for shiro to wear and i failed.
> 
> but this is my (fairly late) Secret Santa gift to [desastrista](http://desastrista.tumblr.com)! I'm sorry this is late, and I hope you enjoy it!

Shiro’s waiting in the mess hall, two trays waiting on the table in front of him when he shows up, red faced and out of breath. 

Not that he sees Shiro at first. In fact, he gazes around rapidly as if there isn’t only three people sitting at the tables, but when his eyes land on Shiro’s, his face breaks out in a smile. Shiro can’t help but smile back as the starry-eyed cadet jogs up to him and sits across from him, clothes rumpled and hair so disheveled you would’ve mistaken him for a normal student at a normal university. 

Not that they were anything close to normal students at a normal university. But here and now, where the normally bustling dining hall is near quiet with only a few, exhausting looking cadets scattered among the tables? Shiro could imagine otherwise. 

“Sorry I’m late. I swear I set an alarm. Five actually.”

Believable, if Shiro hadn’t known him better. 

“At least you gave me a warning in advance. Which is why this is for you.” Shiro replies, pushing the second tray in front of his new companion. 

No, not companion.

More like a best friend. 

Keith grins at him, and takes the tray, already staring down expectantly at its contents. For as long as he’s known him, Shiro’s only seen Keith consume massive quantities of food despite his small stature. He’s shorter than the other kids his age, but he’s quick to act, both with his words and actions. For as long as he’s known him, Shiro’s only ever seen Keith stick to his guns, even if it does land him in trouble the majority of the time. 

Shiro admires that about him. 

“Thanks Shiro. And really, I’m sorry for making you wait. I really should have tried harder. It’s Christmas after all.”

Christmas means an empty mess hall and no noisy cadets wandering the halls. Christmas also means that the lady serving the mac and cheese smiled and gave him two extra large servings when he walked by with the trays, knowing all too well the reason why he had two instead of one. 

So so far? Shiro isn’t complaining. Things could be worse. He could be moping in his room, wrapped up in a blanket with a tablet in hand rather than waiting for someone to show up.. He could be alone, with his closest friends hours away, eating lunch alone in a near empty dining hall. 

But at least this year, he has Keith. 

“It’s fine. Plus it doesn’t affect my plans for today.” Shiro replies, taking an easy bite of the mac and cheese. It’s gooier than Kraft, Shiro’s go-to, but despite everyone’s comments that the cheese could be alien glop, Shiro enjoys the texture mixed in with the noodles. In a place so far from home, it’s the one thing he can call comfort food, whether or not it gained public approval. 

Keith never complains either. 

“What plans?” Keith asks around a mouthful of what Shiro is assuming to be asparagus, and when Shiro pulls out two sets of access keys, Keith’s grin is contagious.

“You convinced Montgomery?” he asks in a hushed whisper, as if anyone was listening to them anyway, and Shiro nods. 

“We get to ride the crafts out? Today?”

“Yup? And we can go anywhere we want, as long as we don’t scratch them up. So don’t do too many tricks, but we can have some fun.” Shiro says, smiling at Keith’s awed look. 

Keith’s excited energy is infectious. It doesn’t take Keith long after that to gobble up his meal at a pace that Shiro races to match. Keith’s like a vacuum, eating up almost everything on the tray before sitting back and reaching for one of the access keys, despite Shiro’s pointed look. He decides to wait, and once the plates are cleaned of pasta, Keith snatches up his tray and one of the sets of keys. 

“Race you there Shiro!” Keith says, springing up from the table to put the dishes away. Shiro curses under his breath, and after grabbing his own tray and keys, sets off after Keith, who’s miraculously already made it down the hallway. If it weren’t Christmas, Shiro would chide him for running and whooping down the halls, but this time, Shiro runs after him, keys jangling in his hand. 

Keith is fire and passion, streaking his way through Shiro’s life and lighting up his world.

“I won’t let you get away with this Kogane!” Shiro calls out, and Keith’s playful laughter sounds from ahead. 

No, there’s definitely worst ways to spend Christmas than this. 

* * *

 

 

The hum of the system is audible as he lays in bed, but while Lance complained about the noise ruining his “beauty sleep”, it brought comfort to Shiro in more ways than one. It was subtle, but constant, and on nights like these, when nightmares forced him awake, sweaty and panicked, it was nice to have something to help him keep calm, focus on his breathing, and attempt to fall back asleep.

Except he hadn’t. 

The hours had gone by, and Shiro had laid there in silence, nothing besides the gentle hum of the castle’s system keeping him company. Things could be worse, but as he tossed and turned in bed, all too aware of the time passing by, he couldn’t help but grow agitated. 

He just wanted to sleep. 

A knock on his door, minutes, hours later was the only thing that forced him up, and as he sat on the edge of the bed, Shiro sighed, rubbing his face with his prosthetic. 

“You can come in.”

It takes a moment for the door to open, leaving Shiro wondering if the person on the other side had heard him at all, but when the door slides open, revealing Keith waiting on the other side, Shiro lets go of the facade he had been unconsciously building up. 

“You look like shit.” Keith comments as the door closes behind him. “Didn’t sleep again?”

A year in the desert had hardened Keith. While before he had been brash and aggressive, now he was temperamental at best. Shiro had no doubt that if it weren’t for the sake of the universe and the fact that he physically couldn’t, Keith would have already left a thousand times over.

Not that he acted that way around Shiro. 

“Yeah, the usual.” Shiro laughs. “Just a nightmare. It’s not that important. What’s up?”

Keith takes the time to sit besides him, and they sit in comfortable silence until Shiro lets out a shaky breath. 

“You don’t have to lie to me.” Keith says quietly. 

Shiro tips his head towards the ceiling, where the comforting sound of the castle’s systems reverbates from. He doesn’t say anything, and after a few minutes pass, and Keith’s impatience grows visible with his fidgeting, Shiro finally sighs and puts on a smile. 

“I’m fine Keith. But what’s up? You never swing by this early.”

Shiro swears Keith starts blushing, but under the dim lighting, it’s not clear, and Keith taps his fingers faster against his thigh. 

“I...I asked Pidge to do the calculations, and she said that today’s Christmas.” Keith whispers. 

Christmas was the last possible thing on Shiro’s mind, and when he doesn’t reply, Keith starts talking faster, fingers drumming against his thigh as quickly as the words leave his mouth. 

“And you know, I didn’t want to bother you all that much about it because you’re stressed already - we all know that. So Hunk decided to make something nice for lunch today, and Pidge found some music and all, and even Lance and Coran got into it? Coran swore he had some decorations somewhere for a similar Altean holiday so they’re doing that. But I wanted to give you something before that because there’s not really much else that I can give to the others besides being there.”

Keith takes in a breath. 

“Plus, you’re more important to me than anyone else.”

Shiro’s stunned into silence. Keith rummages around the inside pocket of his jacket, and carefully, he pulls out an envelope. 

“It’s the only thing I have from home. But I’d rather give it to you.”

Shiro takes the envelope, and after sliding his thumb under the barely closed opening, pulls out its contents. A yellow sticky note, covered in Keith’s scrawling handwriting covers a picture that Shiro instantly recognizes. 

‘ _ I will never give up on you.’ _

In the picture, Keith stands, stiff as a board, dressed in a brand new orange cadet’s uniform. Shiro recognizes himself besides him, smiling in that old grey officer’s uniform, an arm wrapped over Keith’s shoulders. 

“It’s from the Garrison. My first day. You came out and made a friend take a picture of us while all my classmates were with their parents.” Keith supplies helpfully, as if Shiro wouldn’t know anyway. 

Emotion pricks at Shiro’s eyes, and he wraps an arm around Keith, refusing to let him see the sad smile decorating his face. 

“Thank you Keith. Merry Christmas.”

 

* * *

 

The alarm clock an arm’s length away reads 5:51, and the curtains flutter from the breeze drifting in through the windows forgotten during last night’s rush. It takes a second for Shiro to reorient himself, and when he feels the Keith shifting closer to him, a sleepy smile decorates his face. Quietly, Kosmo pads into the room, and after staring back at their dog for a second, Shiro decides it’s time to face the real beast. 

“Morning baby.” Shiro murmurs, and Keith scrunches his face in response, burying his face in between Shiro’s shoulder blades. The whine that escapes him makes Shiro laugh, but Keith doesn’t complain when Shiro turns around to press a kiss to his forehead. 

Keith presses himself against Shiro, and the empty space behind him is quickly filled as Kosmo teleports to the warm patch Keith has abandoned. In the years since the war has ended, Keith’s hair has grown, leaving plenty for Shiro to run his fingers through as Keith stirs, briefly opening one eye to stare up at his husband. 

“ ‘s the time?” Keith mutters, refusing to open his eyes. It’s still dark outside, and now that the blanket has shifted, Shiro can feel the biting cold that threatens them on the other side of the blanket. 

“A little before six.”

“Too early, go back to sleep.” Keith complains before snuggling deeper into Shiro’s chest. Shiro watches, bemused, as Keith finally rests with a heavy sigh. 

“But it’s Christmas.” 

“Christmas schristmas. Wanna sleep.” Keith whines, but Shiro knows his husband is awake, and he presses another kiss, this time to Keith’s crown, before carefully slipping out of bed. The cold bites at his bare skin, and he peers around the dark before finding a pair of shorts that he slips on before going to shut the windows. Keith keens from the bed, and Kosmo stares at him expectantly, waiting for the moment when Shiro moves from the bedroom to the kitchen. 

“Come back. ‘S cold without you.”

Shiro hums in reply, but he still pads out of the bedroom, wandering through the house until he finds the kitchen’s light switch. Flicking it on reveals a waiting Kosmo, and Shiro snickers as Kosmo follows him around the kitchen. 

“Poor Keith.”

His husband doesn’t move an inch, even as Shiro moves around the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee and pulling out a pan to start the pancakes. After the batter is made and mixed, Shiro wanders back into the bedroom, where a pair of violet eyes stare at him from inside their massive white comforter. 

“Put on a shirt Casanova. You’ll catch a cold.” Keith says quietly as Shiro sits on the bed, making the mattress dip with his weight. 

“I’m going to make pancakes, unless you want to.” Shiro replies, and as Keith curses under his breath and shifts beneath the blankets, Shiro can’t help but laugh. His husband emerges from the bundle of sheets looking as disgruntled as a baby bird, before slipping out of bed and trudging towards their closet. 

“I’m not eating burnt shit on Christmas Shirogane.” Keith calls from their closet, and he walks out a moment later, dressed in sweatpants and Shiro’s shirt, with the faded Garrison logo stamped onto his chest. “I’d rather die.”

“Didn’t burn them last time.” Shiro rebutts as he follows Keith to the kitchen. They step over Kosmo waiting expectantly next to the sink, and as soon as Keith walks by, Kosmo follows them, trying to squeeze in between Shiro and Keith. 

“Last time, Takashi, you forgot to put eggs in the batter. Those don’t count as pancakes. They barely counted as food.” Keith chides, and at the sound of batter hitting a hot pan, Shiro leans on the counter and peers up at him. Keith’s eyebrows are furrowed together as if he could will the bubbles setting in the batter to rise faster just through will alone. 

“Look at you. Black Paladin, leader of Voltron, conquering pancakes.” 

“Look at  _ you _ . Golden boy, one of the first people to encounter aliens, Captain of the Atlas and still can’t make pancakes.” Keith rebutts, and Shiro laughs before grabbing a warm pancake and feeding half to Kosmo. He still wasn’t sure exactly what they were supposed to be feeding him, but it seemed as if Kosmo was content with anything besides traditional pet food. Not that that deterred Keith, leading to a nearly untouched bag of kibble in a desolate corner of the kitchen, complete with two bowls - not that Kosmo used those either. 

In some ways, space had spoiled them all. 

Shiro had become more of a diplomat more than anything else, and whenever Keith left for his humanitarian missions, or just to visit Krolia, Shiro tended to tag along under the pretense of friendly diplomacy. 

Not that it convinced anyone. 

It made Shiro almost crave for the times when they could hide away and be on their own whenever they wanted, but it was different now, more domestic, and Shiro wouldn’t trade the peace for anything else. 

His phone chimed from their bedroom, and Shiro walked away, leaving Keith staring as intently at the cooking pancakes as Kosmo was at the increasing stack. His phone, resting carefully on the nightstand next to Keith’s, opened up to a picture of his husband napping besides Kosmo, and two notifications from their group chat. 

> _ Pidge [6:35]: mom and dad want everyone over by 3 at the latest. there will be hell to pay otherwise.  _
> 
> _ Pidge [6:35]: and there is plenty of mistletoe for the love birds. _

Shiro chuckled, and after sending off a reply, wandered back to where Keith waited, plates in hand. 

“Something wrong? They’re not making you go to the Garrison are they?” 

Shiro smiles at the furrow between Keith’s brow and the fight in his eyes at the thought. 

They weren’t at the Garrison, they weren’t on the castle, but still, time and time again, Keith’s stayed by his side, fighting and loving him all the same. 

As many times as it takes.

“No, nothing’s wrong babe. Everything’s perfect. Let’s eat and head over to the Holts’.”

**Author's Note:**

> xoxo, mel
> 
> Follow me on:  
> [Tumblr](http://fcllencngels.tumblr.com) | [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/fcllencngels)


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